How To Identify Common Pests And When To Call Commercial Pest Control Services
Good hygiene is paramount for businesses, but what happens when pests infiltrate your space?
Pests come in many shapes and sizes, yet they all can spread germs and make your workspace unsafe and unhealthy. If insects or rodents show themselves to your guests, you can also risk losing business and being fined for not meeting health regulations. So, it’s essential to catch any infestations early on and eliminate them.
If you’re a little unsure of what you’re looking for and what to do, we’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll explore the most common pests in commercial settings and when to call in professional commercial pest control services.
Common Pests in Commercial Settings
Pests are basically any creature that you don’t want on your property for risk of mess, germs or damage. However, for businesses pests can generally be sorted into two main categories:
- Rodents: mice and rats,
- Insects: all crawling or flying bugs such as ants, cockroaches, and termites.
These pests are most commonly found in commercial establishments which serve food or drinks or where people eat. This makes them especially common in commercial kitchens, restaurants and cafes, and in shared dining areas in office buildings and childcare centres where children eat inside.
Signs of an Infestation
When you have an infestation of any kind of pest there will often be clear signs that you can look out for that tell you you need to act quickly to protect your business.
The most common signs of a rodent infestation are the presence of nesting materials, droppings and gnaw marks. Rodents will generally chew away at different things around your business or property to build their nest and then cart them to a safe space. Common nesting materials include bits of wood, paper, plastic, insulation or fabrics. Rodents will also often eat their way into bags or boxes of food products.
Similarly, insects will eat their way into your open or unopened food containers to cart back to their queen. Additionally, if you have an insect infestation, you’ll often notice dead insects around your business, especially in wet rooms where they can drown.
Termites specifically can be a little less obvious until they do significant damage. However, as they eat away at the wood inside your walls, floors or ceilings you may start to notice mud trails around the side of your building or in the joins of doors, windows or skirting boards.
If you notice any of these signs or actually spot the pests themselves it’s important to call a commercial pest control company to eliminate the infestation before it gets worse.
DIY Pest Control vs Professional Commercial Pest Control
While DIY pest control methods can be okay for small infestations or single sightings, it’s often best to leave commercial pest control to the experts. Many insects and rodents live, scavenge and breed in large numbers, so where there’s one mouse or cockroach there is often a whole pack.
DIY Methods
While waiting for the commercial pest control services to arrive there are a few things you can do to protect your business in the short term. For small infestations or single sightings of rodents, you can use bug spray from the grocery stores or lay down some mouse traps to capture rodents.
As insects and rodents are generally attracted to spaces where they can find food, drink and nesting materials it can also help to complete a thorough deep clean of your business. Additionally, check any food packaging for chew marks and dispose of any contaminated products and then where possible find more secure storage options such as inside fridges or cold rooms where the pests are unable to access the food.
While these methods are unlikely to fully eliminate the infestation, they can minimise the risk until you can get a professional pest control specialist to come to your business.
Professional Commercial Pest Control
Contacting a professional commercial pest control company is the best way to ensure that an infestation is completely eliminated. Professional pest control experts have specialised expertise and equipment to eradicate pests safely and efficiently. They’ll also put measures in place that minimise the risk of future infestations.
By calling in the experts as soon as you suspect that you have rodents or insects on your business premises you can minimise damage and the risk of significant contamination. Once their services are complete, many companies will also be able to provide a tailored guarantee or warranty that provides you peace of mind that your business is safe and that you are compliant with relevant health and safety regulations.
Protect Your Business with Commercial Pest Control
If you have noticed any of the signs we mentioned above and suspect you have a pest infestation, don’t hesitate to call us today! Our commercial pest control experts have years of experience and all the necessary equipment to eliminate pests effectively and protect your business.